Hearing device and methods for wireless remote control of an appliance

• US 9,769,577 B2
• Filed: 08/21/2015
• Issued: 09/19/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 08/22/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: K/S HIMPP
• Original Assignee: iHEAR Medical, Inc. (Innerscope Hearing Technologies, Inc.)
• Inventors: Shennib, Adnan
• Primary Examiner(s): Goins, Davetta W
• Assistant Examiner(s): DABNEY, PHYLESHA LARVINIA
• Application Number:
  US14/832,751
• Publication Number:
  US 20160057550A1
• Time in Patent Office: 760 Days
• Field of Search: 381328, 381315, 381380, 381309, 381330, 455 412, 343895, 607 57, 700 94
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2225/55 Communication between hearing aids and external devices via a network for data exchange
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2225/61 Aspects relating to mechanical or electronic switches or control elements, e.g. functioning
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 25/552 Binaural
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 25/554 using a wireless connection, e.g. between microphone and amplifier or using Tcoils
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 25/558 Remote control, e.g. of amplification, frequency
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 25/603 of mechanical or electronic switches or control elements

Abstract

The present disclosure describes examples of systems and methods of wireless remote control of appliances and medical devices using a canal hearing device upon manual activation of a switch placed in the concha cavity behind the tragus. The manual activation of the switch may be by applying a force to the tragus by a finger of a user of the canal hearing device. In one embodiment the lateral end comprises one or more manually activated switches, a wireless antenna, and a battery cell. In some examples, the wireless electronics include low energy Bluetooth. The appliance may be any device with wireless capabilities, for example an electronic lock, a thermostat, an electronic lighting, a telephone, a kitchen appliance, a medical alert system, a television, a medical device, and a smart glass. The inconspicuous and secure wear of the hearing device allows for active lifestyle, including exercise, and more discrete communications.

Claims

1. A hearing device comprising:

a medial portion comprising a speaker;

a lateral portion comprising a wireless antenna and a switch;

memory configured to receive and store a plurality of control parameters from a computing device communicatively coupled to the hearing device, wherein the control parameters are associated with one or more external appliances; and

wireless electronics communicatively coupled to the wireless antenna and configured to transmit a wireless signal to an external appliance via the wireless antenna when the external appliance is in proximity to the hearing device and responsive to manual activation of the switch wherein the wireless signal is based on one of the plurality of control parameters received from the computing device.

2. The hearing device of claim 1, wherein the wireless antenna is a ceramic chip antenna.

3. The hearing device of claim 1, wherein the wireless antenna is incorporated within a handle portion of the lateral portion.

4. The hearing device of claim 1, wherein the switch is configured to activate in response to an application of force to a tragus of an ear.

5. The hearing device of claim 1, wherein the wireless signal is configured to control an electronic lock, an electronic lighting, a telephone, a medical alert system, a television, a medical device, or electronic glass.

6. The hearing device of claim 1, wherein the switch is a first switch configured to control a first function of the external appliance, and wherein the hearing device further comprises a second switch configured to control a second function of the external appliance.

7. The hearing device of claim 1, wherein the hearing device is modular and the medial portion is disengageable from the lateral portion.

8. The hearing device of claim 1 further comprising a battery cell.

9. The hearing device of claim 8, wherein the battery cell is rechargeable.

10. A hearing device comprising:

a medial portion comprising a speaker; and

a lateral portion comprising a first switch and a second switch, each switch configured for manual activation, the lateral portion further comprising a wireless antenna; and

memory storing a plurality of control parameters, each of the plurality of control parameters associated with one of a plurality of external appliances;

wherein the hearing device is configured to detect an external appliance when the external appliance is in proximity of the hearing device, and wherein the hearing device further comprises;

a processor configured to select a control parameter from the plurality of control parameters which is associated with the detected external appliance; and

wherein the hearing device is further configured to wirelessly control a first function of the detected external appliance in response to activation of the first switch and a second function of the external appliance in response to activation of the second switch.

11. The hearing device of claim 10, wherein the wireless antenna is a ceramic chip antenna.

12. The hearing device of claim 10, wherein the lateral portion further comprises a handle and wherein the wireless antenna is incorporated within the handle.

13. The hearing device of claim 10, wherein the appliance is an electronic lock, a lighting, a computing device, a telephone, a television, or a medical device.

14. The hearing device of claim 10 further comprising memory configured to store audio data for producing an audio segment from the speaker.

15. A method for control of an appliance by a hearing device, the method comprising:

detecting, by a hearing device, external appliance from a plurality of external appliances when the external appliance is in proximity of the hearing device, wherein the hearing device comprises memory storing a plurality of control parameters, each of the plurality of control parameters associated with one of the plurality of external appliances;

selecting, by a processor of the hearing device, a control parameter from the plurality of control parameters which is associated with the external appliance;

selecting, by a processor of the hearing device, a control parameter from the plurality of control parameters which is associated with the external appliance;

activating a switch positioned on a lateral end of a hearing device, wherein the lateral end comprises wireless electronics and a wireless antenna for communicatively coupling the hearing device to an external appliance, the hearing device further comprising a medial end comprising a speaker, wherein the switch is arranged on the lateral end; and

transmitting, a wireless control signal based on the control parameter from the hearing device to the external appliance in response to the activation of the switch when the external appliance is in proximity to the hearing device, wherein the wireless control signal is configured to control a function of the external appliance.

16. The method of claim 15 further comprising detecting the external appliance when the external appliance is in proximity to the hearing device and transmitting, using the speaker, an audio signal to an ear canal of the ear.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the switch is activated by a manual force to a tragus of the ear by a finger of a user.

18. The method of claim 15 further comprising activating the switch to initiate a detection of a proximately positioned external appliance.

19. The method of claim 18 further comprising pairing to the proximately positioned external appliance upon detection of the proximately positioned external appliance.

20. A hearing device comprising:

a medial portion comprising a speaker;

a lateral portion comprising a switch configured for manual activation, and a wireless antenna; and

wireless electronics configured to detect a medical device external to the ear from a plurality of medical devices;

memory storing a plurality of control parameters, each of the plurality of control parameters associated with one of the plurality of medical devices; and

a processor configured to select a control parameter from the plurality of control parameters which is associated with The detected medical device;

wherein the hearing device is configured to produce an audio signal from the speaker when the canal hearing device is in proximity to the medical device,

and wherein the hearing device is configured to transmit a wireless signal to the medical device when the hearing device is in proximity to the medical device.

21. The hearing device of claim 20, further comprising a sensor, the hearing device further configured to wirelessly transmit sensor data to the medical device when the hearing device is in proximity to the medical device.

22. The hearing device of claim 21, wherein the sensor comprises an electrode, a heart rate sensor, a thermometer, a motion sensor, or a glucose meter.

23. The hearing device of claim 21, wherein the hearing device is configured to transmit sensor data in response to a manual activation of the switch.

24. The hearing device of claim 20, wherein the hearing device is further configured to receive or transmit sensor data.

25. The hearing device of claim 20, wherein the hearing device is configured to transmit the audio signal to the ear canal, the audio signal representative of a prompt to a user to manually activate the switch to receive or transmit sensor data.

26. The hearing device of claim 20, wherein manual activation of the switch comprises an application of a force to a tragus.

27. The hearing device of claim 20, wherein the hearing device is configured to receive control parameters from a computing device.

28. The hearing device of claim 20, wherein the hearing device is configured to transmit the wireless signal to the medical device in response to an activation of the switch.

29. A hearing device comprising:

a medial end comprising a speaker;

a lateral end comprising a switch configured for manual activation, and a wireless antenna; and

wireless electronics configured to detect an available wireless service from a plurality of wireless services, wherein the plurality of wireless services comprises a remote medical alert service;

memory storing a plurality of control parameters, each of the plurality of control parameters associated with one of the plurality of wireless services; and

a processor configured to select a control parameter from the plurality of control parameters which is associated with the available wireless service;

wherein the hearing device is configured to transmit a wireless signal to the remote medical alert service upon manual activation of the switch.

30. The hearing device of claim 29, wherein the switch is configured for manual activation by a manual force to a tragus.

31. The hearing device of claim 29, wherein the switch is provided on the handle portion.

32. The hearing device of claim 29, wherein the hearing device is configured to transmit an audio signal to the ear canal in response to detecting a medical condition or an emergency.

33. The hearing device of claim 29, wherein the hearing device is configured to initiate a periodic audible alert to the ear canal in response to detecting a medical condition, wherein the periodic audible alert is configured to terminate upon manual activation of the switch.

34. The hearing device of claim 29, wherein the hearing device is configured to transmit a wireless signal to the remote medical alert service in response to detecting a medical condition or an emergency.

35. The hearing device of claim 34 further comprising an accelerometer or a gyroscope and wherein the hearing device is further configured to use signals from the accelerometer or the gyroscope to detect the medical condition or emergency.

36. A hearing device comprising:

a medial portion comprising a speaker;

memory configured to receive and store a plurality of control parameters from a computing device communicatively coupled to the hearing device, wherein the control parameters are associated with one or more external appliances;

a switch configured for manual activation; and

wireless electronics communicatively coupled to a wireless antenna and configured to transmit a wireless signal to an external appliance positioned external o the ear based on one of the plurality of control parameters;

wherein the hearing device is configured to activate the transmission of one or more audible segments through the speaker upon receiving a wireless signal from the external appliance.

37. The hearing device of claim 36, wherein a transmission of the one or more audible segment is terminated by manually actuating the switch by a user.

38. The hearing device of claim 36, wherein the hearing device is configured to transmit a wireless signal to an electronic medicine dispenser in response to the manual actuation of the switch.

39. A method for control of an external appliance by a hearing device, the method comprising:

receiving, by wireless electronics of a hearing device, a control parameter from a computing device communicatively coupled to the hearing device;

storing the control parameters in memory of the hearing device, wherein the control parameter is associated with one or more external appliances;

activating a switch of a hearing device and

transmitting a wireless signal from the hearing device to the external appliance based on the control parameter in response to activation of the switch.

40. The method of claim 39, wherein the external appliance is an electronic medicine dispenser, and wherein the wireless signal comprises instructions to perform a verification that medication has been removed from a repository of the electronic medicine dispenser.

41. The method of claim 40 further comprising transmitting, by a speaker of the hearing device, an audible alert to the ear when the verification is negative.

42. A method comprising:

detecting, by a hearing device, an external appliance from a plurality of external appliances when the external appliance is in proximity of the hearing device;

selecting, by a processor of the hearing device, a control parameter which is associated with the external appliance from a plurality of control parameters stored in memory of the hearing device, wherein each of the plurality of control parameters stored in memory is associated with one of a plurality of external appliances;

receiving, by the hearing device, a wireless signal from the external a appliance;

transmitting, using a speaker of the hearing device, an audible signal based on the control parameter to the ear canal in response to receiving the wireless signal.

43. A method comprising:

receiving, by a hearing device, a control parameter from a computing device communicatively coupled to the hearing device, wherein the control parameter is associated with one or more external appliances;

storing the control parameter to memory of the hearing device;

detecting, by wireless electronics of the hearing device, an external appliance associated with the control parameter; and

transmitting, using the wireless electronics of the hearing device, a wireless signal to the external appliance based on the control parameter.

44. The method of claim 43 further comprising receiving a measurement from a physiological sensor of the hearing device.

45. The method of claim 44 further comprising transmitting a wireless signal to the external appliance based on the measurement from the physiological sensor and the control parameter.